Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Chapter 135
A foggy wilderness.
We proceeded along the path, accompanied by the disturbing sound of water drops.
With Arietta, and then Eleanor clinging to me, babbling incomprehensibly, I followed behind Baekyang.
Then, an anomaly occurred.
"Skeleton...?"
In the middle of a path in the Samdo River, a human-like figure, presumed to be a skeleton, sat there.
"Ulla."
"Hmm?"
"That's not just visible to me, is it?"
"No, I see it too..."
"Master, I see it too. But what's the problem?"
"The very existence of a skeleton should be considered a problem. A corpse can't stay in the Samdo River for so long."
"..."
Eleanor finally seemed to understand my words, furrowing her brows and going on alert.
[Yokai King] Kang-cheol dislikes having trash strewn about the Samdo River, which is like his inner self.
Therefore, the corpses of the dead in the Samdo River disappear after one day.
They are digested.
But for a corpse to remain until it became a skeleton like that. No matter how I think about it, it has to be an anomaly.
"What are you all talking about?"
While everyone was on alert, Marie began to tilt her head, as if she didn't understand.
"Ahaha, Princess Marie. So, what this means is..."
It was Ulla who answered her innocent, child-like appearance.
She seemed to feel uneasy about the sudden situation, backing away slightly even as she answered.
Is it okay for a soldier to do that?
"But that's not a corpse."
"..."
A short, intense sentence that immediately cut off Ulla's explanation.
Everyone was aghast at Marie's words.
Only then could I realize.
My realization was delayed because [Contemplation] was deactivated. And everyone else in this chaotic yokai energy probably felt something similar.
Only Marie could notice it.
"Long time no see, Brother Pied."
"Hmm..."
The skeleton was not merely a corpse that had been sitting still.
It was a living-dead being like Marie. A Sistus.
"Indeed, I heard you were alive... It's good to see you healthy, Marie."
Pied Dunn.
He had evolved from a Demi Lich to a complete Lich state.
Pied, who had been sitting still, painfully forced himself to stand at Marie's call, as if in agony.
"You... How long have you been here?"
Pied's condition looked poor, even considering he was a skeleton.
He leaned on his staff, steadying his swaying body.
It was a phenomenon of yokai energy. Even if not as much as Marie, he, who possessed a high level of demonic energy, had been exposed to yokai energy for so long that he couldn't endure it.
Staying still like a corpse was probably not to deceive anyone, but simply because it was hard to move.
"Well, I hadn't thought it would be this long myself... So I haven't specifically counted."
"...What is Death King's ulterior motive this time?"
Yes, Marie said he wouldn't do anything, but that couldn't be right.
There's no way he wouldn't do anything. Isn't he causing trouble somewhere I don't know about again?
Honestly, I didn't expect him to.
"I apologize if you're mistaken, but I no longer serve Death King."
"Then what, you changed jobs? Is that it? Trying to get under the Yokai King? Is this an interview waiting room?"
"Hehe... The Mage King's successor has more wit than I thought. That was quite an amusing joke."
He didn't even bat an eye, so it seems he's not planning to go under the [Yokai King].
Then what? Why is Pied Dunn here?
It's hard to think of a reason to be in such a dangerous place other than waiting for the [Yokai King].
But what if it's the opposite?
"Are you perhaps waiting for someone who's talking to the Yokai King?"
For example, what if there was someone who created the very flow of Main Story Chapter 6?
Then who would that person be?
Normally, the main villain groups of [Broken Sky] can be broadly divided into two.
If one of them is the 'Outer Beings' who haven't left their territory yet, then the other is...
"Like Parade, for instance."
Beings who have been secretly active in an unusually large number of incidents. Although it wasn't revealed in the game's story, there's a possibility they were involved in this as well.
It's just speculation.
But there's nothing for me to lose by vocalizing that speculation.
At most, it would just reveal that there's a group called [Parade].
"Correct. You are indeed not an opponent to be underestimated."
"Why is it correct?"
"Yes...?"
"No, nothing."
I secretly hoped it wasn't, but I stepped on a landmine again.
So what should I do?
I don't know what words they're using to entice the [Yokai King], but it's clear these guys are up to something.
If I can stop it beforehand, that would be best, but...
"Then, would you mind moving aside so we can pass?"
Fighting in the belly of the [Yokai King] is simply an act of suicide.
It's better to prepare outside; there's no reason to risk our lives in a battle where we can't even be sure of victory.
Even if we defeat [Parade] and Pied without any harm, what awaits us afterwards is the [Yokai King].
"No."
"Why?"
"Because if you enter this path now, you will surely die. Please talk with me until the [Yokai King]'s yokai energy dissipates."
"Talk, interesting."
Truly interesting words.
If we go ahead, we'll die. The deadline is until the [Yokai King]'s yokai energy dissipates.
An enormous amount of information came from just those few words.
He specified a period.
That also means it will be fine after that period passes.
In other words, it's not a hypothesis about a battle occurring, but purely about suffocating from the [Yokai King]'s yokai energy.
We cannot withstand the yokai energy emitted by the [Yokai King]'s true body.
How could we handle his true body when we get lost even within the Samdo River, which is merely a trace of his actions?
This means that it's impossible for us, but it might be possible for the being beyond.
"So, the guy in front is quite insane, isn't he?"
"Or perhaps a monster."
"Right, a monster. Then would it be the head of the monster?"
"To converse, there must be a mouth, so naturally there would be a head."
Monster, mouth, head.
The leader of [Parade] is here.
I intended to probe, but Pied had no intention of hiding it.
A belief closer to madness than the loyalty he showed to Death King.
Pied believes that we pose no threat to the leader of [Parade].
"Can you tell me what the two of them are discussing?"
"Even I don't know that."
"Well, I guess so."
Honestly, I didn't expect that far.
There's information that's safe to reveal, and then there's a lot of information that isn't.
Or maybe he simply genuinely doesn't know.
"..."
I narrowed my eyes and looked beyond.
The thick fog was so dense that I couldn't see an inch ahead, as if trapped in a deep sea.
At least I can be sure that, as Pied said, if we go any further, we won't be able to endure it.
It's not a hallucination, but a physical drowning by the [Yokai King]'s overwhelming power.
"Marie, do you still consider me family?"
"Hmm?"
Pied, perhaps to take my place as I fell silent watching beyond the fog, shifted the subject of conversation to Marie.
Was he bored? Or did he have a lot to say?
"Yes, Brother Pied is family. We have the same blood flowing through us."
"...You are indeed insane. I think I understand why the Death King decided to abandon you."
"Is that so?"
"That is so."
"..."
People from the [Underworld] have somewhat strange values. I can't understand the flow of that context.
Do they communicate through that?
Based on the fragmented content I heard, it doesn't seem like something that can be lightly dismissed, does it?
I don't know…
There's no good in picking a fight about family relationships, so it's probably best to pretend I didn't hear anything here.
Marie doesn't seem hurt and is calm, so it should be fine.
Pied and Marie nodded without further conversation, then shifted their gaze.
"Did you inflict a fatal wound on the Death King?"
"Uh-oh... Is he still very angry, do you think?"
Is that even a question? You plunged a greatsword into him; do you think he'd be fine?
"He was not particularly angry."
I will now give up trying to understand people from the [Underworld].
They are things that cannot possibly be approached with human sensibilities.
"However... you would do well to be careful. Death King does not forget a target he has set his eyes on, even after death."
"I do tend to leave an impression."
That's not what he meant, I think... Well, she'll probably manage somehow.
If Pied truly left Death King's command, there would be no need to respond immediately.
And he's not an opponent that can be avoided by responding anyway, so we can only hope for a later time.
"And... Saintess."
"Yes, yes?"
Has he been very bored all this time?
Seeing him address everyone in the party, it's clear he must have been in the Samdo River for so long that his sense of time was off.
"I reflected after the last battle. Saintess, you are very weak."
"Yes...?"
"Your abilities are outstanding. But your mindset is too soft."
Pied Dunn was serious.
Look at him, showing hostility towards Arietta, even as an undead.
"You possess excellent abilities, but you have a nature that cannot even kill an ant."
"..."
"If you can predict what kind of path lies ahead, you must know that it will be poison... But you wouldn't know..."
"Stop, will you? Do you want to fight us here?"
I can't listen anymore.
Listening carefully, all the information this guy was spouting only instilled anxiety about the future.
He was by no means saying these things out of goodwill.
It would definitely be helpful, but he was spreading vague fear to us.
"Are you afraid your new master will be harmed by us? So you're desperately trying to break our morale?"
"..."
Vague anxiety.
The fact that he's scattering it to us means he himself is feeling it.
He is anxious.
About us, the variables.
"What on earth is pushing you to such an extent?"
"...Because the ideal we embrace is by no means an easy path."
"Honest."
The purpose of [Parade] was never accurately revealed in the game.
But one thing was for sure.
It's certain that they are walking a thorny path.
Are they not a group that simultaneously turns both humanity and 'outer beings' into enemies?
Regardless of their goals and means, it must be clear that they have built up a miraculous probability.
"I was captivated by his purpose. So, as long as you can be a threat to him...!"
Pied, swaying, raised his staff.
This guy is so crazed by the [Yokai King]'s yokai energy that he's even confused about what judgment he's making.
This must be because his barely sustained concentration was dispersed by the appearance of us, the variables.
Can we subdue him without causing much commotion?
He's swaying, and his mind is clouded by the [Yokai King]'s yokai energy.
He's probably been resisting the yokai energy for a long time, so his demonic energy and mana are likely at rock bottom.
But there's one fact that should never be overlooked.
"This is dangerous..."
That he was a 'Hand'.
I had already realized that power in the Papal states battle.
He showed overwhelming power despite being in an absurdly disadvantageous environment.
The penalty then and the penalty now.
How much of a difference will there be?
"...Oz. What will you do? If you're going to do it, you'll have to resolve it as quickly as possible right now."
Ulla nervously touched the rifle on her back, sweating.
We can win. That's for sure.
Arietta, who could be called our greatest force, is practically incapacitated, and Marie is also likely to react slowly, not realizing what we're trying to do.
Me, Ulla, Baekyang, and Eleanor.
These four alone are enough in terms of power, and the balance of the combination isn't bad either.
We would almost certainly win against Pied, whose mind is even muddled.
Not thinking deeply is an absurd penalty in itself.
I had already realized that through my battle with Lustitia.
But at the same time, one wrong move leads straight to a dead end.
I can't make a hasty judgment.
"Looks like we have a visitor, Pied."
But at that moment, a man's voice and a human figure began to appear from beyond the fog.
"You've arrived, Lord Janus."
At the same time, Pied also seemed to calm down, lowering his staff.
He regained his composure with just a single sentence. What absurd loyalty.
"Ah... Yes, it was you."
Hidden behind the mask was the familiar gaze I saw every day in the mirror.
His demeanor, physique, and voice.
As his silhouette became clearer, my eyes also felt clearer.
[Contemplation - Activated]
[Contemplation], which had been continuously unresponsive since entering the Samdo River, now seemed to be glowing, as if it had to confirm something, and began to illuminate the world's principles.
The identity of the opponent [Contemplation] pierced through was none other than the leader of [Parade].
"Have you come to repeat another useless act, Oz?"
The Spokesperson of the Other Side.
Judging by what Pied said, he's also known as 'Janus,' meaning two-faced.
If Salem isn't dead, then it's likely that the [Key of the Advocate] was split in half like the [Key of the Immortal].
No, in fact, none of that was important now.
[KP Spokesperson of the Other Side]
Oz Quabadis
Because a much more important fact was right before my eyes.